the Big Quilcene River Watershed | 2021
Historically, Washington State’s Big Quilcene River, a winding river that spreads across Moon Valley’s floodplain, provided salmon habitat and diverse, thriving ecosystems. In the early 1900s, dikes and culverts artificially confined the river to a straight pathway to make room for farmland, yet disconnecting the river from its historic floodplain. Today, these modifications and effects combine to cause frequent flooding in downstream communities and eliminate crucial spawning and rearing habitat for salmon.
The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG) spearheads conservation and habitat restoration efforts on the Big Quilcene River, using easements and land acquisition to permanently protect areas of the floodplain and restore the benefits that a more natural floodplain provides. The group commissioned Earth Economics to conduct an analysis of the economic benefits, both market and non-market, of two planned large-scale restoration projects that would reconnect the Big Quilcene River to its historic floodplain.
The Restoration Projects
HCSEG has planned two large-scale restoration projects to reconnect the Big Quilcene River to its historic floodplains:
Moon Valley: Acquire and restore 80 acres along the river in Moon Valley. Restoration will include removing dikes and culverts to return the river channel to its natural, winding path, reconnecting the historic floodplain, raising the riverbed, and adding logjams.
Lower 1 Mile: Reconnect the river to the north floodplain at Lower 1 Mile of the Big Quilcene River by removing the Linger Longer Road and bridge, the north levee, and Fremont Street; and constructing a new Rodger Street bridge and roadway south of the river.
The Economic Impact
Earth Economics conducted an analysis of the economic benefits, both market and non-market, of the Moon Valley and Lower 1 Mile projects in eastern Jefferson County, Washington.
Market benefits include local and state economic activity supported by project spending: jobs, amount of tax revenue generated, and total economic output.
Non-market benefits are the economic benefits that nature provides to humans (also known as ecosystem services) – like the avoided flood damage after the floodplain is reconnected, or the cultural value of salmon habitat that will be restored.
The analysis revealed the following economic benefits:
Market Benefits: Together, the projects would support 255 jobs, $14 million in wages, $20 million in GDP, and $37 million in total economic activity in eastern Jefferson County. Statewide, the projects would support an additional 60 jobs, $3.8 million in wages, $6 million in GDP, and $11 million in economic activity. The projects would also generate $1.6 million in state and local tax revenue.
Non-Market Benefits: The projects would protect a combined $3.2 million in ecosystem services benefits per year. Lower 1 Mile restoration would add $98,000 to $228,000 per year in ecosystem services benefits, and Moon Valley restoration would add $241,000 to $548,000 per year.
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